


Always

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Fraxus [3]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mates, Mating Bond, Missions Gone Wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 19:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16561499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: 'So close...I came so close to losing this...to losing him." After a job gone horribly wrong, Laxus is forced to wait for his mate to come back to him. Whilst Freed desperately needs the Dragon-slayer to drive away the memory of just how close they came to losing one another.





	Always

   Laxus yawned widely, reaching up and rubbing at his sore eyes, no longer sure how long it had been since he’d last slept, not that it mattered. Blue eyes narrowed as turned to the still figure on the bed, lingering for a moment on the soft rise and fall of his mate’s chest, the steady movement reassuring him that Freed was still with him. _So close. I came too close to losing this, to losing him_. Stubbornly pushing that thought aside, for the time being, he let his gaze drift up to Freed’s face. His expression darkening as he stared at the bandages covering the rune mage’s forehead, the pale, almost translucent skin and the small furrowing of his brow which showed that even unconscious he wasn’t free of the pain of his injuries.

    Hesitantly, still somewhat afraid that the slightest touch would be enough to shatter Freed he reached out and brushed his fingers over the furrowed brow, wishing that he could banish the pain with just a touch. In a way, he knew that it was a good thing that Freed hadn’t woken yet, as the pain would be even worse if he were conscious, and he never wanted to feel that level of pain seeping through the bond again. _Freed_ …It wasn’t the first time since he’d claimed the Rune mage as his mate, that Freed had been hurt, but it was the first time he had come quite so close to death, and Laxus doubted he would be able to forget that terror anytime soon if he ever could.

   He’d never really understood what Natsu and Gajeel were talking about when they spoke about their mates, and the sheer need a Dragon-slayer felt to keep their mate safe, initially brushing it aside as he’d thought there was no way it could ever apply to him. After all, he wasn’t even a true Dragon-slayer. But that had been before Freed, or rather before he had finally got over his stubbornness and accepted how he really felt about Freed. The bond that had formed between them had been terrifying in its intensity, but now he wouldn’t be without it, and the blankness coming through it at the moment was unnerving.

_Freed. Don’t leave me alone…_

“Freed…” He whispered, staring at the Rune mage and silently willing him to open his eyes or at least move. To do something, anything, to show that he was still in there and that he was going to come back to him. However, Freed continued to sleep on completely unaware of everything around him, and the Lightning mage couldn’t quite hold back a disappointed sigh as he reached out to grasp the nearest hand, squeezing slender fingers gently as he added pleadingly. “Please come back…”

_It had been a stupid decision to split up. He’d known that right from the start, and yet he hadn’t been able to argue when Freed had pointed out that he was the best one to deal with their target, and that they needed to focus on getting the villagers to safety before they got caught up in the fighting. Despite his reluctance, he had decided that it was the best idea they had right then, and besides Evergreen and Bickslow were there and next to himself, they were the ones he trusted most to watch Freed’s back. That thought had given him the strength to charge after their target, with nothing more than a chaste kiss and a promise to be back soon hovering between them, unaware of the chaos that he was going to return to. However, what they hadn’t anticipated was that the Dark mage they were hired to track down had done his homework on them, and planned for them making that very decision._

_He’d realised the moment the scent had begun to loop back towards where he’d left Freed and the others that something was wrong. Only to be sent crashing to his knees a moment later as pain lanced through him, and for a moment he had grabbed his chest with searching hands, sure that he must be injured. However, when his hands came away without a trace of blood, his mind had kicked back into gear, eyes widening in alarm as he realised that it wasn’t his pain that he was feeling. It was Freed’s. A snarl slipped free as he staggered back to his feet, lightning spreading out around him at the thought of someone daring to hurt his mate. With fear driving him he melted into his lightning, his entire being focused on getting to his mate as soon as possible before anything else happened._

**

_Nothing had prepared him for the sight of the village lying partially demolished, a strange barrier shimmering around it that sent him careening backwards when he collided with it, and he found himself dropping to the ground with a pained grunt as his lightning dissipated. Fresh fear bubbling up as he stared at it. It had been a long time since he’d come across something that could keep him out when he was travelling via his lightning, and his eyes narrowed in thought - apparently, they had been misinformed about just how powerful their target was. Still, it didn’t matter. If that man were the one that had hurt Freed, then he would take him down one way or another._

_The sharp pain that had flooded the bond a short while before had died down to a background hum, but now fear and guilt were seeping in with it, and he let out a soft growl as he straightened. He never wanted Freed to feel like that…_

_Gathering his magic around his fist, he readied himself to try and take down the barrier, sure that his mate and their teammates must be somewhere beyond it. However, just before he could unleash the attack, a voice rang out, and he froze as his eyes immediately zeroed in on the squat man emerging from two of the houses. Or more importantly, he focused on the familiar figure the man was forcing ahead of him, baring his teeth in a snarl as he saw the Rune mage stumble, only to be yanked upright once more by the scruff of his neck and he took a threatening step towards the barrier._

_“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” The mage cautioned, and Laxus froze as he realised that his hand had crept around so that it was resting against Freed’s windpipe and as he watched his fingers tightened in warning, drawing a soft whimper from Freed. Gritting his teeth, he’d moved back a bit, refusing to push the mage into hurting Freed any further as it was clear that his mate had already been through a hell of a fight. “I knew I picked the right one to play with,” the mage cackled, eyes flicking between the Dragon-slayer and his prisoner, savouring the pained expression that Laxus couldn’t keep off his face. Laxus stiffened at his words - where were Evergreen and Bickslow? Apparently, his alarm must have shown, because the mage laughed again before answering the unspoken question. “The other two are just taking a little nap, but I’m sure they can join in later.” The Dragon-slayer tensed at the threat to their teammates, but as long as they were relatively safe for the time being, he had to focus on his mate, especially as Freed didn’t even seem to be aware that he was there. “Let him go,” he growled softly._

_“No.” The blunt response wasn’t unexpected, but that didn’t stop the pit of dread that formed in Laxus’s stomach. A feeling that only intensified as he watched the mage’s fingers tightening around Freed’s neck for a moment, drawing a small, choked noise from the Rune mage and Laxus flinched at the fresh terror that was seeping through the bond. “I knew that they would eventually send S-class mages, and I prepared for that. I’m going to use you to send a message to anyone else that thinks they can stop me.” Laxus jolted forward a step as his mate was tossed roughly to the floor, growling at the rough treatment and willing Freed to get to his feet. However, the younger man wasn’t given any time to recover, a sickly green magic circle forming under his fallen figure, and Laxus flung himself forwards just as the spell was cast. “Shadou Majikku: Eien no kurushimi!”._

_“FREED!” He howled as he flung himself desperately at the barrier, cursing as he was bounced back, his body stinging from the impact. But the discomfort was swept aside by terror as Freed was obscured from view as shadows converged on him. A second passed, and then he found himself on his knees once more, pain radiating through the bond once more, unlike anything he had felt before, but what was worse was the agonised screams he could hear coming from his mate. “Freed!”_

_Stop it…stop it…stop it…_

_His mind had gone completely blank by the time Freed’s pained cries had died away into low whimpers, unable to focus on anything beyond the pain and fear that were leaking through the bond between them, and his lightning had flared out in response. However, his attention was drawn back to the present as the shadows finally sank back into the ground, fury rising as his gaze fell on the fallen figure of his mate, and he wasn’t even conscious of rising to his feet once more._

_Freed…_

_“Freed,” He choked out as his gaze fell on the crumpled form of the Rune mage, something sharp and unpleasant twisting in his chest as he realised the coppery smell filling the air was coming from his mate, and another growl rumbled through his chest. From this distance, it was impossible to make out the full extent of his injuries, but he knew that they had to be bad. Freed was far stronger than most people realised, and there was no way he would be lying there making no attempt to defend himself if he was capable of moving, and that realisation had sent a shard of ice through him. Freed…_

_“Laxus…” Freed had finally managed to notice his presence, weakly turning his head to stare at the Lightning mage, and Laxus felt like someone had just punched him in the gut as he took in the tears on his mate’s face. However, what nearly broke him in that instance was the look of complete and utter trust on the younger man’s face. The same feeling coming through the bond, and he swallowed as he realised that Freed had no doubt whatsoever that he was going to get out of this and that Laxus was going to be the one to rescue him. He didn’t deserve such faith, but there was no way he was going to let Freed down at this stage._

_“How dare you touch him?” Laxus snarled, finally tearing his gaze away from Freed and refocusing on the man standing above him, lightning dancing across his skin as he realised that the man was watching them both with a smirk on his lips. He was enjoying this. He was enjoying the fact that Freed was in pain and that until the barrier was brought down, there was nothing Laxus could do to help beyond trying to push soothing feelings through the bond, a task that was being made even more difficult by the rage burning in his chest. “Release him!” He barked, a small bolt of lightning leaping free to strike harmlessly off the barrier._

_“What do you intend to do?” The mage demanded. “Not even an S-class mage like you can break that barrier.”_

_Laxus hadn’t bothered to reply to the mocking question. He wasn’t fighting as an S-class mage right now, hell he wasn’t even fighting as a Fairy Tail mage, the job long since forgotten. At the moment the only thing he was fighting for was his mate, and as his eyes darted across to Freed, realising with growing panic that the Rune mage was losing his hold on consciousness, he took a step forward and pressed his hand against the barrier. Pain shot through his arm, but he ignored it. It was nothing to the pain seeping through the bond from Freed, although he carefully kept his own pain locked away behind a barrier so that it wouldn’t affect Freed as well, only to freeze as he realised that the Rune mage’s presence in the bond was beginning to slip away…_

   Laxus shuddered as he forced himself back into the present, not wanting to dwell on that sensation, not with Freed lying alive right in front of them. However, it had been that sensation that had pushed him over the edge, slipping entirely into his draconic side, and later he had learned that he had levelled a good part of the village when he’d blasted his way through the barrier. He had been completely out of control at that point, and it was very likely that he would’ve killed the mage in an instance if Freed hadn’t managed to whisper his name just before succumbing to his injuries. Even in that feral state, his mate’s voice had been a siren call that he couldn’t ignore, and he’d come back to himself abruptly to find their opponent at his feet and close to death. However, the moment his gaze had landed on Freed, and he’d realised the younger man was unconscious he’d completely forgotten about the mage, entirely focused on what was happening to his mate.

   Evergreen and Bickslow had found him a short while later, clinging to Freed as he tried to do what he could to bind the deep gashes that the mage’s magic had ripped across his mate’s torso, both of them very much worse for wear and nursing a considerable amount of guilt for what had happened. He had brusquely pointed out that they had all been caught off guard, unable to focus enough to offer them proper comfort with his mate’s blood staining his skin. And he still hadn’t managed to have a proper conversation with them about it. It had been three days since they’d returned to the guild, and he hadn’t left Freed’s side once, and while they visited several times a day, he wasn’t ready to talk to them about what happened. Not until Freed was awake and able to join in. _We all failed him, and yet I bet even now he still believes in us…in me…_

“I don’t know what I did to deserve that kind of faith,” He muttered as he refocused on his mate, reaching up to brush a wayward strand of green hair away from the pale face. _Freed_ …He had never fully understood what Freed had seen in him, especially after his actions during the Battle of Fairy Tail. To this day he still woke up in a cold sweat when he realised how close he had come to hurting Freed during that time. However, Freed had never once blamed him for that, pointing out that he had followed Laxus knowing precisely what he was getting in to, and that he would continue to do so, regardless of what Laxus said or did. The Lightning mage let out a soft chuckle as he recalled the fierceness in the other’s eyes when he’d made that declaration, _and you call me the stubborn one._

   Sighing he leant forward and pressed a chaste kiss to a pale cheek, unable to resist the urge to nuzzle Freed’s nose with his own, letting his mate’s scent sweep over him before adding softly. “But I promise that I will do everything in my power to live up to it, so you have to wake up. You have to come back.”

_Please …_

****

Two days later:

    The first thing that registered as Freed drifted towards awareness was that he was still alive, in a lot of pain for sure, but alive, which meant that Laxus really had come for him _. Laxus_ , he needed to see the Dragon-slayer! That was the next thing that registered, swiftly morphing into an overwhelming need, needing the reassurance that this was real. However, despite the strength of his desire, it still took him an unbearably long time to urge his eyes to open, and more than once he nearly gave up. Eventually, though he managed to crack them open, only to wince as the light made his eyes water, and he got a quick glance of the room, just enough to tell him he was back at the guild, in the infirmary, before he slammed them shut again with a pained whimper.

“Freed!”

 “Too loud,” he protested at the sudden voice, struggling to place it as he tried to ride out the pain now throbbing through his head. To his relief, he heard the person moving away, and he listened intensely as they walked around the room, and it took him a couple of minutes to realise that the odd noise following the movement was the sound of the curtains being drawn, sensing the growing darkness around him. However, it was only when they moved back to his side that he finally dared to ease his eyes open once more, it was still painful but bearable, and he blinked as he looked up at his companion, somewhat sorry to find a worried looking Mira peering down at him.

“Sorry about that, how are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better,” Freed admitted after a moment of taking stock, almost wishing that he was still out of it now that the full force of his injuries was hitting him. Shifting slightly, he winced, scowling as he peered down at himself and saw the bandages covering his torso, well aware that he was going to be stuck on bedrest for a while, especially if a certain Lightning mage had his way. Speaking of which…His head shot up in alarm as he realised that his mate wasn’t by his side, and there was a strange blankness in their bond when he tried to reach out to the Dragon-slayer, and he couldn’t keep the panic out of his voice as he turned his attention back to Mira. “Laxus?”

“He’s sleeping,” She replied quickly, moving to the side so that he could see across to the next bed, and some of his panic dissipated as he took in the sprawling figure of the Dragon-slayer. His lips quirking up as he realised that the hospital bed looked dwarfed by his mate’s body, although his humour rapidly disappeared as he took in the unhappy expression on Laxus’ face, and he frowned before turning back to the Take-over mage for an explanation. “We had to use a sleeping spell on him, he was refusing to leave your side, and he was going to make himself ill.”

“But…” _Don’t you realise that’s the worst thing you could’ve done?_ They were still learning the ins and outs of what it meant to be mates, especially in a draconic sense. However, he knew from experience that it was essential for the other Dragon-slayers to be there and continuously alert when their mates were injured. And while it might have been hopeful thinking, he had a feeling that the same was true for Laxus, and he scowled at the thought of that being taken from the Lightning mage.

“Natsu gave us hell for it as well,” Mira admitted softly as she caught the frown, wincing at the dark glare he levelled at her, although given the fact that he looked ready to fall asleep again at a moment’s notice she doubted that he could actually do anything to follow it up. “But he wasn’t listening to us, and we didn’t want to end up with both of you in the infirmary.”

   Eventually, Freed sighed softly and nodded in acceptance, realising that they had honestly acted out of concern, although he intended to at least thank Natsu for trying to stop it. Still, he couldn’t keep the unhappiness of his face as his gaze shifted back to Laxus, and it wasn’t just because of what had happened to the Dragon-slayer…he was also disappointed that his mate wasn’t awake… he needed to talk to him. No, he wanted to talk to him, to hold him, but that was going to have to wait now… _Laxus…_

“I’ll go and tell Evergreen and Bickslow you’re awake,” Mira murmured, realising that the Rune mage wasn’t in the mood to talk to her anymore, and relieved that she had an honest excuse to escape. “They’ve not been much better than Laxus,” she added as she headed for the door, hoping that hearing that Freed was awake and finally on the mend would be enough to get the rest of the Raijinshu to rest. And that it would cheer them up, as they had been scarily quiet the last few days, not that she could really blame them as everyone knew how close the three of them were.

“Wait,” Freed called to her, hating how weak his voice sounded, but pushing that aside for the time being in favour of getting the answers he needed. “How long?” Despite the exhaustion that was still pressing in on him, it felt like he had been asleep for a long time, and he almost wished that he hadn’t asked as he caught the pained expression that passed over her face.

“It’s been a week since the battle, and you’ve been here for the last five days,” Mira replied cautiously, unsurprised by the shocked expression that spread across his face, followed swiftly by concern as he glanced back towards Laxus, and she felt compelled to add. “You’re lucky to be alive.” They’d been forced to call in Porlyusica, and the first couple of days had been spent on tenterhooks, waiting until the aged healer had been able to say with confidence that she thought he would pull through. Her gaze drifted to Laxus - she had never seen the Lightning mage look so broken, and part of her wished that she had waited a little longer before forcing him to sleep, well aware that the only thing that would really help him at the moment would be seeing Freed awake for himself.

“It’s because of Laxus,” Freed replied with utter certainty, his eyes softening as he glanced across at the Dragon-slayer just as the blond released a rumbling snore before shifting slightly, and a fond smile escaped before he added quietly. “He saved me…”

_He had felt himself slipping away into the shadows, and he’d tried everything in his power to cling onto consciousness, but not even the feeling of Laxus reaching for him through the bond had been enough to ground him. Everything was hurting, .and his magic was utterly exhausted. Failure and the guilty thought that he had forced Laxus to share in that was pressing in on him, and he felt fresh tears on his cheeks as he twisted his head to look at the Dragon-slayer, mouth dropping open slightly as he realised that his mate had completely fallen over the edge. Realising that he would be incapable of stopping himself from going too far in that state, Freed had gathered the last remnants of his strength and reached out through the bond, even as he whispered his name._

_“Laxus…I’m sorry…” The last thing he’d felt before slipping under completely was a spark of his Laxus returning._

“Of course he did,” Mira offered him a small smile when he blinked at her, but not expanding on her response, although there was a fond expression on her face as she glanced between them. Practically everyone in the guild had been aware of how much they cared for one another, long before the pair had worked that out for themselves, and she knew that both of them would go to any length to protect the other. It just didn’t seem that they fully understood that fact just yet. Seeing Freed’s eyes beginning to droop she resumed heading for the door, hoping that he would drop off again if she left him in peace, well aware that he was far from a full recovery. “I’ll be back in a little while, so just rest until then.”

“Yeah…Thanks, Mira.”

   Freed waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps in the hallway before slowly easing himself up on the bed, grimacing as the room span around him for a moment. While he knew that he really should be resting, that wasn’t what he wanted or needed. He just hoped that he wasn’t going to regret this as he cautiously pushed the covers off himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed, struggling to hold back a groan as pain lanced through him. What the hell had that guy done to him? Still, he wasn’t about to let a little pain stop him, and tentatively he rose to his feet, gripping the bed to steady himself before turning and fixing his gaze on Laxus’ sleeping face.

_Laxus…_

   He’d barely taken a couple of steps away from the bed before he realised just how bad an idea it had been, and yet he wouldn’t or couldn't turn back. The sensation of sinking into the darkness, and the fear that he might never get to the Dragon-slayer again rising once more, and even if Laxus was asleep, he needed to be by his side. Even before they had become romantically involved he had always felt safest at Laxus’ side, and that feeling had only intensified since. Gritting his teeth, he staggered forwards, struggling to hold back a whimper as pain lanced through his chest. _I’m fine. I can make it that far. I’m not that weak…_

   However, stubbornness could only get him so far, and he was still a few steps from Laxus’ side when his knees gave way beneath him, and he let out a startled cry as he realised that he had no way of bracing himself. Seconds before he could hit the floor, he felt strong arms grabbing his shoulders and halting his fall, and he froze as he felt the static forming in the air around them, slowly lifting his head and blinking as he found himself staring into sleepy, blue eyes.

“Freed,” Laxus sounded as though he couldn’t quite believe his eyes, and Freed let out a weak chuckle, dizzily thinking that he should be the one to sound like that, unable to believe that the Dragon-slayer had managed to shake off Mira’s spell and just in time to save his ass again. The Dragon-slayer looked somewhat confused at his laughter and Freed reached up to grasp one of Laxus’ arms, the touch grounding him, and he gripped it tighter before trying to pull himself up. Trying, being the operative word. His legs quaking beneath him, and he would have probably toppled over if Laxus hadn’t still been holding onto him, and he closed his eyes in defeat as the Dragon-slayer tightened his hold on him. “Easy I’ve got you.”

“Sorry, I thought I could make it on my own…” He admitted sheepishly, letting out a startled squawk as he pulled to his feet, relieved when Laxus’ grip never faltered as even those few steps seemed to have drained him completely.

“What are you even doing out of bed?” Laxus demanded, although his hands as he guided the wavering Rune mage to the edge of his bed were gentle, tracing nonsensical patterns against his mate’s arms as he tried to reassure both of them that this was real. Freed immediately curled into his side, seemingly uncaring of the pressure he was putting on his own injuries, shaking his head mutely when Laxus tried to straighten him out, and there was something in the turquoise eyes that made him give in. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Freed and carefully pulled him closer, unsurprised when his mate tensed for a moment before turning just enough to bury his face against the Dragon-slayer’s shoulder. “Freed?” He couldn’t get a clear read on the emotions coming through the bond, and that was making him uneasy.

“I thought that I wasn’t going to see you again,” the words were barely above a whisper, and muffled against his shoulder, and yet Laxus heard them clear as day, his eyes narrowing as he caught the way Freed’s voice wavered and cracked in the middle. It had been a long time since he’d heard his mate sound like that, and he felt a flicker of the same rage that had overcome him when he’d first found Freed surging back to life.

 _I was too easy on him_ …

   A soft growl rumbled through his chest, as he pondered whether he could get away with breaking into the council where the mage was being kept, to finish what he’d started, although somehow, he couldn’t see that going over well, with either his Grandfather or Freed. He jolted when Freed’s fingers brushed across his cheek, peering down to find the younger man peering up at him in concern, his eyes suspiciously watery as his other hand rose to clutch at his shirt. “Sorry….” _Idiot what are you apologising for?!_

“Don’t apologise,” Laxus scolded with a soft sigh, reaching up to grab Freed’s hand away from his cheek, brushing his lips across the knuckles before bringing it to rest in his lap, twining his fingers with his mate’s. Even though they were both safe, and in Freed’s case finally on the mend, he could still feel the fear radiating from the Rune mage. “I thought the same…” He admitted after a moment, shuddering as he remembered the terror of being unable to wake the Rune mage, realising that it was only now beginning to ease away now that he had Freed back in his arms. “I was terrified that I had been too late.”

“You weren’t,” Freed whispered, tilting his head up and pressing a small kiss to the underside of Laxus’ chin, the only place he could reach from his current position. “Thank you.” He blinked in surprise as Laxus suddenly ducked his head, capturing his lips in a proper kiss, and he felt his cheeks flooding with heat although he made no move to pull away as he realised that the Dragon-slayer needed this, and so did he, he realised as he willingly returned the kiss. _We survived, and we’re together that’s all that matters_. He could feel the darkness and fear slipping away, the bond between them growing warmer even as Laxus pulled him closer. _Laxus, thank you…_

   They pulled apart after a couple of minutes, the Rune mage slumping slightly against Laxus as his body reminded him of everything that he had put it through, and he didn’t protest as he was gently manoeuvred down onto the bed, already feeling his eyes starting to droop once more. However, he forced them open as the bed dipped as Laxus carefully settled down beside him, curling around him as best as he could in the small bed and while trying to avoid his injuries, and he frowned slightly as he realised that Laxus looked just as exhausted as he felt. “What are you doing awake anyway?” Freed asked quietly when they’d both settled properly, realising that there was no way the Dragon-slayer should have been able to shake off Mira’s sleeping spell that easily.

“As if I could sleep when a certain someone is sneaking around,” Laxus replied with a teasing smirk, leaning in to press a gentle kiss against Freed’s lips as the Rune mage pouted at his words, only pulling back when he felt his mate giving in to the urge to smile. “I woke the moment you stirred,” he added softly, remembering the feeling of the bond springing to life once more. That sensation had been more than enough to burn through the sleep magic trying to hold him under.

“You look exhausted…”

“Like you’re one to talk,” Laxus pointed out bluntly, reaching up and ghosting his fingers over the dark shadows underlying Freed’s eyes, looking worse than they were against the unusual paleness of his skin. However, as he caught the stern look in the Rune mage’s eyes, he pulled his hand back before adding softly. “But yeah, I feel like I could sleep for days.” Freed’s expression immediately softened, and before the Dragon-slayer could say anything else, the younger man had pressed himself closer and curled against his chest, his head coming to rest just above Laxus’ heart.

“Me too…” Freed whispered, nuzzling his nose against the Dragon-slayer’s chest. “Stay with me?” He asked, and the Lightning mage smiled at the sleepy tone, realising that his mate was barely awake at this point. Gently tightening his hold on the smaller man, he buried his head in the crook of Freed’s shoulder, letting his mate’s scent engulf him before finally whispering a reply.

“Always.”


End file.
